The imperial examination system is different from the hereditary system in the pre-Qin period and the imperial examination system established in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Its main feature is that local governors inspect and select talents at any time within their jurisdiction and recommend them to superiors or the central government, and appoint official positions after probation and examination.
Overview of procuratorial system
In order to meet the needs of state rule, a whole set of official selection system was established in Han Dynasty, which is called "check system". Chaju is a bottom-up talent selection system, also called "election". Liu Bang, the Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty, first asked the counties to recommend scholars with the ability to govern the country, which was the first of its kind. Huidi and Lv Hou (reigned in BC 194-BC 180) wrote a letter to "filial piety", and Chaju began to have a theme.
Strictly speaking, the inspection system in the Han Dynasty began with Emperor Wen (reigned in 179-BC 157), who ordered "those who can speak out" and set up "countermeasures" (exams) and grades. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the "Inspection Department" was complete and various regulations were promulgated one after another. Since then, various subjects have been enriched, especially with unified selection criteria and examination methods.
Examination is an important link in the supervision and trial system in Han Dynasty. After the candidates pass the examination, the government will hire them according to their qualifications, which not only ensures the implementation of the selection criteria and the selection of real talents, but also ensures the relative fairness of competition, making it possible for the lower classes to enter the national management. With the continuous development and improvement of the examination system, it developed into the "imperial examination system" after Sui and Tang Dynasties, which lasted 1300 years and became an important official selection system in China.